What are the important events that happened on February 17? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
February 17: Facts & Myths About This Day
February 17 is the 48th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 318 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Saturday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is February 4, 2024 – a Saturday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 1,708,128,000 seconds has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘tetracontaoctagon’ day.
Aquarius is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Amethyst is the modern birthstone for this month. Bloodstone is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 347 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,075 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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February 17 Historical Events
1809 –
Miami University is chartered by the State of Ohio.
1838 –
Weenen massacre: Hundreds of Voortrekkers along the Blaukraans River, Natal are killed by Zulus.
1864 –
American Civil War: The Ship becomes the first submarine to engage and sink a warship, the USS Housatonic.
1871 –
The victorious Prussian Army parades though Paris, France after the end of the Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.
1932 –
New Year’s Day in Chinese calendar. Start of the year of the Water Monkey in Chinese astrology.
1964 –
Gabonese president Leon M'ba is toppled by a coup and his rival, Jean-Hilaire Aubame, is installed in his place.
1978 –
The Troubles: The Provisional IRA detonates an incendiary bomb at the La Mon restaurant, near Belfast, killing 12 and seriously injuring 30.
1979 –
The Sino-Vietnamese War begins.
1996 –
NASA’s Discovery Program begins as the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft lifts off on the first mission ever to orbit and land on an asteroid, 433 Eros.
2003 –
The London Congestion Charge scheme begins.
Who were born on February 17?
1754 –
Nicolas Baudin, French explorer (d. 1803)
1891 –
Abraham Fraenkel, German-born Israeli mathematician and recipient of the Israel Prize (d. 1965)
1922 –
Tommy Edwards, American singer (d. 1969)
1923 –
John Marco Allegro, English scholar (d. 1988)
1928 –
Marta Romero, Puerto Rican actress & singer
1938 –
Martha Henry, American/Canadian actress
1952 –
Karin Janz, East German gymnast
1970 –
Tommy Moe, American skier
1979 –
Josh Willingham, American baseball player
1983 –
Kevin Rudolf, American singer-songwriter
Who died on February 17?
1600 –
Giordano Bruno, Italian philosopher (burned at the stake) (b. 1548)
1609 –
Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1549)
1680 –
Jan Swammerdam, Dutch biologist (b. 1637)
1874 –
Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet, Belgian mathematician (b. 1796)
1890 –
Christopher Sholes, American inventor (b. 1819)
1958 –
Hugh McCrae, Australian writer (b. 1876)
1986 –
Jiddu Krishnamurti, Indian philosopher (b. 1895)
1990 –
Hap Day, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (b. 1901)
2004 –
José López Portillo, President of Mexico (b. 1920)
2009 –
Conchita Cintrón, Chilean bullfighter (b. 1922)
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